M
millsan1
Guest
Guest
Like many, I have been riding for years and started way before MSF was the norm. I do, however, practice my riding techniques all the time while riding. I am always practicing quick direction changes, rapid acceleration/deceleration, slow speed maneuvers, etc. I also do a lot of slow speed maneuvers in parking lots. I try to stop with out touching down as often as possible. I do slow races with myself or my GF all the time, etc. Basically, I am always trying to improve my skills.
I watched "Ride like a Pro" and did learn a new trick. The trick of riding your rear brake and slipping the clutch for slow speed maneuvering. That comes in real handy.
I am a HUGE believer in the MSF BRC and have pushed many people to that course and refuse to "teach" anyone how to ride. IMHO, the BRC is the best way to learn how to ride. I have sent at least a dozen people through the class.
This past May, my GF took the BRC. She then took a one on one lesson with an exceptional MSF instructor. Since then, she has put down about 5,000 miles on her BMW F800ST.
Her riding is greatly improved and she rides well, not well for a new rider, but just plain old well. Whenever we ride together, we are constantly on our SENA SMH10 (great units) speaking about road conditions, threats, planned reactions, etc. (SIPDE)
All this being said, I thought she would be well served by taking the MSF ERC. Having never taken any formal classes, I figured I would take the course as well. I went into the course believing there was a 50/50 chance I would learn something useful, or be wasting time and money.
The school we attended and the instructors were excellent. I did not gain anything from the class, however. The exercises were good, but nothing interesting and basically the same exact exercises as the BRC (according to my GF). As a proof that I did not pick up anything from the class, I literally had zero coaching. Coaching was reserved for people who needed some guidance on how to better complete the exercise. I missed one cone all day, and nailed every other exercise. The one coaching session I got was this "You comfortable?" "Yes, seems straightforward" "OK. Good job".
We took the class with a large number of HD riders. They were all from the same HOG Chapter. Of course, the first interaction was:
HOG Member "Which HOG Chapter are you in?"
Me "I do not ride a Harley"
HOG Member "Oh I am sorry for you"
Me "I'm not. you couldn't give me one of those POS, poseur bikes. I ride my bike, not polish it."
HOG Member <sits there dumbfounded> Because we are all supposed to be in awe and wish we rode Harleys and when they put our bike's down, we are supposed to say something like "We are all one family, just happy we are all on two wheels, blah blah blah." F that. I tell them where I stand and I hate those bikes. As a side note, I worked in a HD Dealer as a mechanic for 5 years.
Anyway, back to the class.
One thing the class did confirm for me is how bad many "experienced" riders ride. Several of the riders in the class were lifetime riders with north of 30 years riding. The balance were at least 10 year riders. There was 1 rider there that knew how to handle his bike. The balance were TERRIBLE and got only marginally better during the day. This was not for lack of coaching and input from the MSF Instructors, as there was a great deal of coaching going on. These people just were not listening, nor taking the training.
Some of the brilliance I heard from these "experienced" riders.
If I am going to hit a car, I am gonna get on the gas. I would rather go over the top than under the wheels.
You can't lock up the front wheel and then release it. As soon as the front wheel locks, you go down.
My bike is incapable of these maneuvers (NVM that the instructor just showed us the maneuver on the EXACT SAME BIKE)
I am too big to do these maneuvers.
I am too small to muscle my bike through these maneuvers.
My helmet is not DOT (it was a peanut), but it is made from Carbon Fiber (It was a sticker), so it will protect me better than any DOT helmet.
You should always pull in the clutch in turns, it slows you down.
Never use the front brake, you will go over the handlebars. (I offered that person $100 if they could get their rear wheel 1" off the ground. They did not take me up on it.)
I go to Daytona, Sturgis, Biketober fest andLaconia every year. Me: You ride to those? No, I take my trailer. It is too far to ride.
You sure your GF should be in this class? She has only been riding a few months. (There were 3 people in the class who nailed every exercise, every pass. Me, my GF and a very nice guy on his HD)
So, long story short, HD riders are poseur wanna be riders, if you are honestly a skilled rider, the ERC is not for you, and I am very proud of my GF and honestly asses her at the top 20% of riders on the road today, as far as skill goes.
I watched "Ride like a Pro" and did learn a new trick. The trick of riding your rear brake and slipping the clutch for slow speed maneuvering. That comes in real handy.
I am a HUGE believer in the MSF BRC and have pushed many people to that course and refuse to "teach" anyone how to ride. IMHO, the BRC is the best way to learn how to ride. I have sent at least a dozen people through the class.
This past May, my GF took the BRC. She then took a one on one lesson with an exceptional MSF instructor. Since then, she has put down about 5,000 miles on her BMW F800ST.
Her riding is greatly improved and she rides well, not well for a new rider, but just plain old well. Whenever we ride together, we are constantly on our SENA SMH10 (great units) speaking about road conditions, threats, planned reactions, etc. (SIPDE)
All this being said, I thought she would be well served by taking the MSF ERC. Having never taken any formal classes, I figured I would take the course as well. I went into the course believing there was a 50/50 chance I would learn something useful, or be wasting time and money.
The school we attended and the instructors were excellent. I did not gain anything from the class, however. The exercises were good, but nothing interesting and basically the same exact exercises as the BRC (according to my GF). As a proof that I did not pick up anything from the class, I literally had zero coaching. Coaching was reserved for people who needed some guidance on how to better complete the exercise. I missed one cone all day, and nailed every other exercise. The one coaching session I got was this "You comfortable?" "Yes, seems straightforward" "OK. Good job".
We took the class with a large number of HD riders. They were all from the same HOG Chapter. Of course, the first interaction was:
HOG Member "Which HOG Chapter are you in?"
Me "I do not ride a Harley"
HOG Member "Oh I am sorry for you"
Me "I'm not. you couldn't give me one of those POS, poseur bikes. I ride my bike, not polish it."
HOG Member <sits there dumbfounded> Because we are all supposed to be in awe and wish we rode Harleys and when they put our bike's down, we are supposed to say something like "We are all one family, just happy we are all on two wheels, blah blah blah." F that. I tell them where I stand and I hate those bikes. As a side note, I worked in a HD Dealer as a mechanic for 5 years.
Anyway, back to the class.
One thing the class did confirm for me is how bad many "experienced" riders ride. Several of the riders in the class were lifetime riders with north of 30 years riding. The balance were at least 10 year riders. There was 1 rider there that knew how to handle his bike. The balance were TERRIBLE and got only marginally better during the day. This was not for lack of coaching and input from the MSF Instructors, as there was a great deal of coaching going on. These people just were not listening, nor taking the training.
Some of the brilliance I heard from these "experienced" riders.
If I am going to hit a car, I am gonna get on the gas. I would rather go over the top than under the wheels.
You can't lock up the front wheel and then release it. As soon as the front wheel locks, you go down.
My bike is incapable of these maneuvers (NVM that the instructor just showed us the maneuver on the EXACT SAME BIKE)
I am too big to do these maneuvers.
I am too small to muscle my bike through these maneuvers.
My helmet is not DOT (it was a peanut), but it is made from Carbon Fiber (It was a sticker), so it will protect me better than any DOT helmet.
You should always pull in the clutch in turns, it slows you down.
Never use the front brake, you will go over the handlebars. (I offered that person $100 if they could get their rear wheel 1" off the ground. They did not take me up on it.)
I go to Daytona, Sturgis, Biketober fest andLaconia every year. Me: You ride to those? No, I take my trailer. It is too far to ride.
You sure your GF should be in this class? She has only been riding a few months. (There were 3 people in the class who nailed every exercise, every pass. Me, my GF and a very nice guy on his HD)
So, long story short, HD riders are poseur wanna be riders, if you are honestly a skilled rider, the ERC is not for you, and I am very proud of my GF and honestly asses her at the top 20% of riders on the road today, as far as skill goes.